Alternative Spring Break

During Spring Break, Hillel of Broward and Palm Beach takes a group of students to area in need. In 2018, we took 13 students to San Juan Comalapa, Guatemala to use green building to help build a school. In past years we have taken students to Brooklyn, New York and The Bahamas.

This year we will be going to Puerto Rico to provide Hurricane Relief with Nechama. We will be leaving on March 4 and returning March 10. Upon acceptance, the trip will cost a total of $350.

2018 Alternative Spring Break Testimonials

The trip to Guatemala really changed my outlook on life. I'm not going to lie, the first day that we arrived, I was not excited to wake up extremely early in the morning, do hard labor, and walk everywhere. Yet when the last day came, I couldn't imagine going back to the United States. Something that really surprised me throughout this trip was the bond I created with the girls I met from FAU. I didn't expect to get so close to girls in such a short period of time but little did I know that I would for sure create friendships that would last a lifetime. This trip showed me just how fortunate I am. I have an unlimited amount of water, I have a car and a job (more than 80% of people do not have a job in Comalapa). During this trip, I also had my first Shabbat and made challah for the first time. After this trip, I definitely will be more involved in Hillel. Thank you so much to Hillel for giving me this opportunity that made me grow as an individual. Do we know where we are going next year yet?!

- Samantha Borges, NSU

We woke up at daybreak to the sounds of roosters crowing and the propane vendor shouting, selling gas to power homes. After a whirlwind of morning chaos, getting dressed in our work clothes, we emerged from the house ready for a day of construction. This spring break in Guatemala challenged us in every way possible; from the language difference, to the culture difference, to the physical work that we put into every project. We had the opportunity to become engaged in a community that truly needed our help. ASB strengthened my resolve to pursue a career of helping others. Not only did we experience this totally new environment, but we also brought our own culture; baking challah with approximate measurements--helped by our host family--and having Shabbat in a rural town in Guatemala is an experience that I will never forget.